Learning to Be Together
by Veridissima
Summary: For SandyD12. Jon and Joy have been together for a few years now, and it's time for a serious conversation
_HAPPY BIRTHDAY! HAPPY NAMEDAY, SANDY!_

 _I hope you have a AWESOME and FANTASTIC day! And I hope you have 200 more AMAZING birthdays! You're amazing, sweet and funny girl and you are a brilliant friend - I'm really glad I met you and can talk to you :D_

 _As you asked, here you have some JoJo in a relationship, and I hope it sounds good to you! ENJOY!_

 _(I apologize for any possible mistakes - I didn't used a beta and English is not my mother language)._

* * *

Jon couldn't stop thinking about last night; she had slept with her back to him and was gone by the time he woke up. Jon wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't sure what he could tell her, her request hadn't been ridiculous – he would probably had had this same fight with Ygritte if they had ever made it off the field together, and her reaction would probably had been much worse that Joy's.

Robb told him that it was a stupid discussion, and he expected that from him, but he thought she would understand – _she had always understood… she had…_ Jon smiled realizing that they hadn't actually talked last night. Right now he just wanted to run to her job and talk to her, but that was probably not good, so he just hoped to talk to her later today.

At the end of the day, when Jon got home, he quickly found Joy in their bedroom, sitting on the bed, with a book opened on her knees, but she wasn't reading, she seemed to be deep in thought.

"Hey," he greeted her quietly. She looked up, but didn't say anything, so he continued. "About yesterday…"

"No, you don't need to… I shouldn't have asked. I just thought we were on the same page."

"We are, Joy, at least I think we are," he said, sitting on the end of the bed.

"If you think that getting tested and stop using condoms is too much of a commitment, we are…" she said, as her voice started to get louder.

"It's nothing to do with commitment. Come on, Joy, we're living together."

"We're roommates. Are you telling me we're the same as we were when we first met and you moved in to the _extra_ room?"

"No! Come on, Joy," he said, and his voice was uncommonly loud as well. "Look around," he said, standing up and pointing to the table. "There's a photo of my mom and I in the shelf – the one I've had in my room since I was a child, and then there's also the one from my and Robb's graduation with my cousins – I've had that one since I moved to Castle Black," he told her, but he knew she still wasn't convinced, so he got up and opened the closet door. "My clothes are here, they have been here for a long time; the only thing in my room, or my old room, is books and games, we even moved some of your stuff there, so we could make more space for me here."

"Wait... this is us moving in together. We are really moving together."

"We are already living together, Joy. Really what I said has nothing to do with commitment, and we can do the test – that would be good actually."

"But you don't want to."

"I want to. I just don't want to stop using condoms…"

"I'm on the pill."

"It doesn't always work… If you're having stomach problems, or you miss something, or you throw up – it's too many factors. I just feel safer with a condom."

"So you don't want a baby, that's it?" she asked. "We're young, I understand that we're not ready and…"

"It's not that. Sure I prefer to wait, but it's not about not being ready… I just don't our kid to grow up like I did…"

"Jon… I don't plan on walking out, and if you don't either, I'm pretty sure our kid would have two loving parents, unlike us."

"I know… I just… always pictured myself having a baby, after being married…"

"So you have the baby?" she said with a smile. "I understand. I don't particularly agree, but if it's important Jon, we'll keep using condoms."

"Thank you, Joy," he said, before kissing her lips sweetly. "Unless you want to get married…

"I would prefer that the proposal wouldn't be triggered by wanting to not use condoms."

"It's not…" he said. "Ohhh… but that means you want to get married?"

"I never really cared, you know… But if it's important to you, Jon, yes, I would like to get married."

"I'm glad. And I wasn't just asking because…"

"I know, Jon," she said, kissing him again, holding his face between her faces. "Now, please, come to bed."

"It's six o'clock…"

"Come on, Jon. Just grab a condom and shut up," she said, as she pulled her top off, and as always he got described by her freckled skin, and her chest – she never used a bra when she was at home, it made Jon feel all awkward when he first moved in. But now he liked it, and he did as she told him, he grabbed their box from the bedside table and kissed her again, pushing her down to the bed.

* * *

Joy lay back on the bed as Jon got up to throw the used condom in the bin, and she observed his back – she seemed to never get used to his scars, which was strange since she had healed scars just like that, when she had been in Essos.

"Hey," she said, sitting up, and resting her hand on his back like she normally did. "I was thinking… that when you mentioned getting married, you seemed like you had thought about that… and stuff…"

"I did," he said, pulling on some boxers and a shirt, since he always felt uncomfortable naked. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I'm really comfy here," Joy said, falling deeper into the blankets, wrapping herself in them.

"I can go get it then," he said. Jon then left the room for a few moments, he had left the door opened, and she could hear him going to his room, or better, his old room, their extra-room.

When Jon came back, he was caring a small box – she had seen it before, but she didn't know what was inside it. He sat in front of her on the bed, holding the box in his hands, and she sat on the bed, pulling the blanket up.

"I have had this box since I was a little kid – it's where I keep everything that it's important," he said, pulling a little toy, and giving it to her.

It was really small and cute, it seemed like something that came out inside a chocolate egg, and she didn't understand how this could be important.

"This is what I wanted to show you," he said, giving her a ring. "It's old, I got it a long time ago in a market north of the Wall. I was glad when I met you, that I wouldn't have to get another ring."

"Was it Ygritte's?" she asked. She knew that Jon had loved Ygritte with his entire heart, when he first moved in he was heartbroken, it had been just a month after her death.

"No, she never wore it."

"Did you propose to her with the ring?"

"No, she never wanted to get married. We used to fight about that, but in the middle of war – it wasn't one of our biggest worries."

"If she had survived…" Joy started saying.

"It's not the same ring, I altered it for you – it's ready for you," he told her, coming closer. "I had an emerald stone set in – the jeweller thought I was crazy for putting a stone in a ring like this one, and I painter it gold with crimson."

"What color was it before?" she asked.

"White and red."

"Like the heart trees," she said. "Does it bother you that I don't follow the Old Gods?"

"Of course not, Joy. Does it bother you that I don't follow the Seven Gods?"

"No, but I don't even care about them. And you may have gone to the Sept more times than I," she said. She had only been in the Sept for funerals or weddings, while Jon sometimes went with his aunt Catelyn and cousins, so he didn't deny it.

"But do you like the ring?" he finally asked.

"I do, very much. Can I have it?"

"Are you saying yes to marrying me?"

"No, and yes. I want to marry you, Jon. But I don't want to do it now, but I won't to promise you that I will."

"I do accept your promise," he said, kissing her, and taking her hand and the ring, asking for permission, before sliding the ring onto her finger.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, looking at her finger.

"What will you say when people ask you about the ring," Jon asked.

"Not sure. But I know I love you and I want to be you, and that's what the ring represents to me."

"I'm really glad you like it," he said moving to sit next to her.

"And that I like you," she said with a cheeky smile.

"That too," he said, kissing the top of her head. "So what do you want to do now?"

"Dinner," she said, before getting her phone from the bedside table. "Do you want pizza or tai?"

"Pizza – pineapple and mushrooms," Jon suggested. Joy liked weird mixes, and Jon appreciated it, when his mother had only eaten pepperoni, sometimes with peppers, and Ygritte had been a pepperoni lover herself.

"And maybe tuna or shrimp too? I'm in the mood for fish."

"Sure, I like shrimp better. Or we could order squid rings as a side?"

"I like that," she said, as she typed the number and made the phonecall and order. "30 minutes," she said, as she turned off the phone. "Netflix just added last week's episode of _The 100_ ," Joy suggested.

"Arya spoiled me the episode, but sure," Jon said. As he got up to get her laptop since it was the only one currently in the room, and to put on some boxers and shirt, since he always felt uncomfortable naked.

"She introduced you to the show, so she was the right to spoil it for you."

"That's an idiotic rule," he said as he typed their netflix password, another sign of commitment, she realized. Jon put the computer on the bed, and opened his right arm, so she could fit better next to him.

As they watched the show, Joy complained about what was happening – she had actually been complaining a lot this past season, Jon didn't usually complain, but he didn't take it well when his favorite character had been killed.

They stopped mid-episode when the door bell, with their pizza, Jon was the one to get up, since he already had some clothes on, with him, he brought back two glasses and a bottle of wine. They continued the episode as they ate, and when it ended, they picked up a new movie, the one they had to stop, because Jon had to work, he had a few papers to read over.

Joy just observed Jon. She couldn't believe they were here, that she was actually considering marrying him, marrying anyone. She did love Jon, with all her heart, but marriage was a different thing… but she was happy that they are moving forward – _she really should introduce them to her family_ , she had met Jon's crazy family – his crazy fun mom, his sort of stepfather and stepsiblings (which all of them were also Joy's cousins), her uncle and aunt and their thousand kids (she was exaggerating and she had known part of them for a very long time, since Jon spent a long time with Robb and Arya), and there was his actual father and stepmother, and his half-siblings (one that was actually dating her cousin, who was also Jon's stepsister – like she said, it's a mess).

If Joy's father was still alive, she would introduce Jon to him – she was sure that her father would like him. But he wasn't alive. She had introduced Jon to the family who mattered, mostly her niece, nephew and cousins: there was Myrcella (who he had actually met because he was dating his own brother, and currently still leaving with Arya and his brother), and Tommen, Lancel (he had been a bit of an asshole, not as much as Joffrey, when he was young, but not anymore), Willem, Martyn and Janei (the girl was young, and Joy was sure Janei had a crush on Jon).

"Hey, Jon," she called out, making him look up. "Would you like to meet my aunt Genna? She's great."

"Sure."

"And I lived with her for awhile – it was really good. She was nice, and she treated me like family."

"I'm glad. Why didn't you stay with her longer?" he asked, putting the papers down on the table, and turning the entire chair to her.

"No idea. I never had a word about where I would stay."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. Jon had the annoying habit of apologizing for everything, things that he had no impact on.

"It's not your fault," she answered, even if it felt good to hear an apology.

"I haven't met any of her children, right?"

"No, I'm not really close with them – maybe they were the reason I had to leave. Cleos was really nice, but his younger bothers not as much. Ohh… and they're Freys, so not very happy to meet a Stark."

"Isn't she a Frey as well?"

"Ohh… she hates the Freys. Not that she likes the Starks much more, but I do like you and she likes me."

"I hope so," he said.

"She kind of likes your brother, Aegon. And Lannister hate the Targaryens more than they hate the Starks."

"She kind of…" Jon said with a laugh. "And I'm also a Targaryen."

"Ohhh… shut up. It will go okay," she told him. "Come on, we can go over to Cella's apartment to ask your brother for advice."

"Yeah, that seems like a good idea. I'll call Arya tomorrow," Jon told her. "I'll be with you in less than an hour," he told her, picking up the papers.

"I have my book," she said with a smile.

* * *

It was finally the weekend. Nobody during the week had asked Joy about the ring, but they were sure that their cousins would jump on them today – Arya would probably punch him for not telling her before (and he wouldn't dare to tell her that Robb already knew – he was the only person he had told, and Joy had not told anyone).

"Don't be nervous," she said squeezing his hand. The ring felt really good in his hand, it was cold and a reminder that they had promised their lives to each other. "And don't act weird," she told him. "At least not weirder than normal," she added, with a smile.

"Hey! Really, sometimes I think you spent too much time with Arya."

"Come on," she said, pulling him in as she knocked on the door. On the other side of the door, there was a very pregnant Myrcella, still yelling something behind her back.

"Joy!" she exclaimed, pulling her cousin for a hug. As Jon's own cousin came running to him, and jumped into his arms.

"Hey, little cousin," he said, hugging her back, and not letting go until they were inside their apartment.

"OMG! You have a ring!" Myrcella exclaimed, and he could see her picking up Joy's hand. "Is that…"

"Yeah…"

"When are you getting married?" Myrcella asked, and they could see her mind was already planning stuff in her head – she sometimes was too much like Sansa.

"You're getting married!" Arya asked, coming down from his arms, and punching him.

"We're not," Jon said at the same time as Joy, and he continued, "At least not now, I want to get married…"

"… And this was my promise to marry Jon," she said taking his hand.

"Ohhh…" Myrcella whispered. "So no wedding?"

"Not now," Joy said. "But can we come in?" she asked.

"Sure," Myrcella said, stepping back, and they were met with the other two men in the apartment.

"Congratulations, brother," Aegon said, pulling him for a hug, and then Gendry shook his hand.

"We brought cake," Jon said offering a box. "And wine."

"I miss wine," Myrcella said, holding her belly. "Really can't wait for this baby to come out. Especially when I'm living with these drunks."

"We're not drunks!" Aegon and Arya exclaimed at the same time as they made it to the kitchen. "We just like to celebrate with drinking."

"…Around a very pregnant woman. Carrying your child."

"Hey! Not mine. If I get anyone pregnant, it will be Gendry," Arya said with a laugh, as she started setting the table, and Gendry and Aegon went back to cooking.

"So have you found a house or apartment?" Joy asked, as Myrcella sat down on a chair.

"Not yet." She and Aegon had been searching since she first got pregnant, but now it was almost her due date and they were no close to moving out. Joy had told him that she was sure that they wouldn't move out, that they would just go on raising the kid together – they said it was good to share the chores through the four of them, especially with Myrcella pregnant and always tired.

"We got a crib in our room," Aegon said. "And we're painting next week a little corner of the room. Tommen is even coming over to help."

"Yes, Jon, please come and help," Arya pleaded.

"We can come and help, I think," Jon said, sharing a look with Joy, who nodded.

"So you're staying here?" Joy asked her.

"We'll keep looking. And when the baby is older, he will need his own room. But for now," Myrcella answered.

"He?" Joy asked excited.

"They don't know yet," Arya answered.

"Myrcella thinks it's a boy, Aegon thinks it's a girl," Gendry said. "It gets really confusing after awhile. We were asking them if they knew the sex everyday."

"So you're only finding the sex at birth?" Jon asked, which Myrcella nodded affirmatively. "Which color are you painting the room?"

"Yellow. And Tommen is bringing animal stickers – it will look very cute – perfect for our perfect child."

"I'm getting wolf stickers!" Arya exclaimed.

"Arya, don't jump around near the stove," Gendry warned her.

"Living with Arya is good training," Aegon said.

"You're as bad as me," Arya told him. "We would still eating and living as college students if Myrcella and Gendry hadn't moved in." The two of them had started living together when Arya was 18 and started Art School, where she studied dance, and Aegon was studying painting. Those two living together also made Jon spent more time with his brother – he had never been close with his father's family, but he had always been close with Arya, so he had come to visit her on every free time we got from the Night's Watch, and then he started to see his brother.

"Dinner is almost ready, Arya. Please, finish, setting the table."

"Okay, okay…" she said, as she set the final plates, and then asked everyone what they wanted to drink: orange juice for Myrcella, beer for Gendry and the wine they had brought for everyone else.

"Dinner is served," Aegon informed, as Gendry came in with a lasagne plate, smelling marvellous, and Aegon helped Myrcella onto her chair.

The food was great, as always. Gendry was an amazing cook, even if not for the best reasons, since he learned because he had to take care of himself since he was very young; and he used still used some of his mother's recipes. The lasagne also went very well with the wine they had brought, and Myrcella was jealous that she couldn't drink, and Gendry, who was a beer-man, tried the wine and agreed that it was very good, even if he kept drinking the beer.

The conversation between them flowed easily, Arya talked about her next gig that she was going with Aegon this time – she would dance at his next exposition, it wasn't a great job, but she got some exposition.

"When is it?" Joy asked.

"In two weeks," Jon told her. "It was the plans I told you about on Monday."

"Right, your family… I can't wait," Joy said. "Wait, you and Aegon – that means your mom and dad, Jon?"

"Yeah, aunt Lya said she would come, and she will bring Robert – so it will be super weird."

"You didn't tell me Dad was coming," Myrcella said. "I haven't seen him in awhile." Myrcella didn't have the best relationship with her father when she was young, but things were actually better since he started dating Lyanna, and was less drunk. And Gendry had only known him after being less drunk and dating Lyanna. "He and your mom are still okay?" They had been together for more than five years now, but they still fought a lot, and they even had their own guest room on the Stark mansion.

"They're good – they always fight, but mom seems happy and that's what matters."

"Just ask your dad (slash step-dad) not to punch my dad," Aegon told them. "He hasn't come to one of my things in a long time…"

"Talking about dads and stuff – Jon wants some advice about meeting Aunt Genna," Joy asked Myrcella and Aegon.

"Don't act stupid. She hates stupid people," Myrcella said. "You're smart, so you should be good."

"But don't answer the questions about your family," Aegon said. "No answer is a good one."

"Shut up! It wasn't that bad," Myrcella told him, slapping him on the arm. "Really don't worry that much, Jon. It will be okay."

"Yeah, I'm not heir to anything, so there's not much worry about marrying right," Joy said in a joking manner, but Jon knew that it pissed her off how much her family ignored her because she wasn't born into a marriage (no matter that like half of the marriages in her family were awful).

"I'm not really heir to anything either – I'm a woman."

"You'll get money," Joy told her. "I'll be lucky if I get ten bucks."

"Who decides if you get the money?" Aegon asked. "There are a thousand Lannisters. Targaryens is easy – we're three or four kids, and like only Dany is really Targaryen, now that Viserys is dead."

"Tywin," Joy and Myrcella answered at the same time – there was no question to them, and Joy continued. "Really, the power that the others think they have they don't – uncle Tywin is the ruler of the family." The Lannister family was dysfunctional, it didn't really sound like a Western family from 21st century – there were so many rules and power plays.

"Wow…" Gendry whispered to himself, and Arya took his hand. "I'm glad the Starks are more normal than that," he told her.

"Me too," she said with a laugh, resting against his shoulder.

Jon ended up not getting any useful advice from Aegon or Myrcella about getting to meet Joy's aunt, but they always had fun. They played board games, which wasn't as much fun when they couldn't drink as a sympathy act for Myrcella, it was good not to see Aegon and Arya getting plastered – they were the only two that always drunk too much, and maybe sometimes Joy… Gendry didn't drink much more than one bottle, and Jon was a careful drinker (drinking too much led to more nightmares than usually – he really didn't need more war dreams…).

"See, it was fun," Joy told him, after they walked out of the apartment. "And they were okay with the ring."

"I never said they wouldn't."

"You thought it," she said. "When do you want to tell your family?"

"In Aegon and Arya's thing, since they are already coming here…"

"Will you survive two weeks? Will Robb survive not telling his parents for two weeks?" Jon laughed at that, knowing that his cousin probably wouldn't survive it.

"I'll talk to him," he told her instead. "What about your family?"

"Um…" she said shrugging her shoulders. "I'll tell Tommen next week, and the others, when I see them."

"Okay. And I'm messaging my unit tomorrow," he told her.

"No calling?"

"You know, we hate calling," he said. Jon was always messaging Sam, Edd, Pyp and Grenn, it had been harder to not tell them for the last three days.

"Let's go home, Jon," she told him, making them leave the building to his car. "I love you. And I'm really glad we're pre-engaged."

"I'm really glad we're pre-engaged, too," he said with a smile, before kissing her lips. "I love you, too," he said, before kissing her again, pushing her onto his car, as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her lips.


End file.
